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Kevlar for the Mind: Drug studies show some promise for preventing PTSD

An estimated one in five veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars is battling symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.

If this estimate is accurate, about 500,000 men and women are affected by this often disabling condition.

Progress has been made in treatments aimed at alleviating and eliminating symptoms of the disorder, but benefits are modest at best.

There are also no interventions generally considered effective at preventing development of the disorder, which would make other treatments unnecessary.

However, new research shows that preventing PTSD may be possible — and it may not be far off the horizon.

Scientists from Northwestern University have found a medication that can prevent an exaggerated fear response in mice similar to that seen in humans, according to a study published last month in the journal Biological Psychiatry.

Lead investigator Jelena Radulovic and her colleagues believe that traumatic events flip a switch in a primitive part of the brain called the hippocampus, an area known to be involved in creating new memories.

They found that after exposing mice to a traumatic event such as a shock, cells in the hippocampus became hyperactive and unable to return to a resting state.

In other words, the nerves got stuck in the “on” position and the brain was unable to flip the switch off. “It’s like they keep dancing even after the music stops,” Radulovic said.

However, after injecting two experimental chemicals — MPEP and MTEP — into the brains of the mice, the hippocampus was able to regain control of the hyperactive nerve cells, ending the fear response.

But it’s too early to start issuing these drugs to medics and corpsmen.

There’s a considerable leap between applying animal research to humans, because human brains are far more developed than those in animals.

One important difference is the greater ability of humans to apply meaning to events — a higher level of processing information believed to be directly linked to the development, maintenance and prognosis of PTSD.

Drugs are unlikely to change this core aspect of human nature.

Also, the drugs were effective in mice only when administered within five hours after exposure to the traumatic event, which would limit the number of service members who could receive the medications.

Still, the potential use of MPEP and MTEP in the prevention of PTSD is exciting news.

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Bret A. Moore is a clinical psychologist who served two tours in Iraq and is the author of “Wheels Down: Adjusting to Life after Deployment.” E-mail him. Names and identifying details will be kept confidential. This column is for informational purposes only. Readers should see a mental health professional or physician for mental health problems.